Trading Genocides On April 24, 2021, US President Joseph Biden declared that the massacre of 1.5 million Turkish Armenians in 1915 constituted genocide. As to whether genocide is the word Americans can consent to use about Native Americans who suffered death, torture, displacement, apartheid and disease at the hands, mainly, of European settlers in the […]
ANKARA, TURKEY — With most of the Turkish media controlled by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP), it is hard for many people to fully understand the internal politics of Turkey. One way to break through this is by listening to Turkey’s exiled journalists like Abdullah Bozkurt.
Christoph and I are back! After a long hiatus we have returned with a jam packed episode. In the first segment we discuss the bizarre “bomb plot” to attack the recent MEK Summit in Paris. Then we explore the allegations that this was orchestrated by the Iranian government and the bogus claims by the West and Israel about a network of sleeper cells across Europe. We then turn to a discussion about those swept up in the investigation–including an Iranian diplomat from Austria.
[Prefatory Note: This is slightly modified text of an earlier post that seeks to takeaccount of responses from friends, and gave me the opportunity to express these somewhat contrarian views in a clearer way, as well as correct some mistakes. This version will also be published by Sharq Forum in Turkey.]
A Reflection on the June 24th Turkish Elections
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won his second consecutive term as leader of Turkey, but the first one under “a new system” where Erdogan will be president and executive of the country.
The head of Turkey’s High Electoral Board (YSK) said that Erdogan had secured more than 50 percent of the votes needed for the victory.
In the parliamentary election, Erdogan’s AK Party placed first with over 45 percent. The pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) also entered the parliament after passing the 10 percent threshold.
Sunday’s elections in Turkey are being widely seen around the world as an important test for Turkey’s longterm leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Unusually Presidential and parliamentary elections are happening in Turkey at the same time, with Erdoğan – currently Turkey’s President – looking to consolidate his position in the new office of executive President he has created for himself.
One of the more interesting stories from the controversial Turkish Presidential Powers referendum has been the reaction of the extreme-right to Erdogan’s consolidation of power.
Turkey’s traditional far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has for years been something of a national embarrassment for Turkey. The party argues for an ethno-centric Turkish state and the party’s unofficial paramilitary wing, the Grey Wolves, have been responsible for the killings, detentions and abuse of opposition journalists, left-wing activists, Greek and Armenian minorities and Kurds.
By Eric Draitser | Stop Imperialism | July 22, 2016 The failed coup in Turkey last week was a political and geopolitical earthquake as it has the potential to fundamentally alter the Middle East, NATO, and potentially the balance of power globally. But while the implications of the recent developments are clear, what actually took […]
Whatever happens next, it’s not likely to be pretty
Turkey has been in a growing crisis for years, and the end seems nowhere in sight.
